Cherry Blossoms
by Magical Reality
Summary: Takes place about ten years after the war. Spring is in the air and a baby is just three months away for Katara and Zuko. It is underneath the cherry trees that are just starting to bloom, where the gender wars continue. Obviously Zutara.


**AN: I'll be honest. This whole story kinda came out of the blue. I guess since spring is finally here my mind went, "Write something about flowers!" So I listened to myself for once and I came up with this! Woo hoo! This feels super short to me and I really hate that feeling so hopefully you like it. I am pleased with it I suppose... anyways. How about I let you read now. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Avatar. But if I did, Zutara would have happened.**

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It was finally spring in the Fire Nation. Katara pretty much lived in the Fire Nation just for this time of year because of all the beautiful cherry blossoms that bloomed in the gardens of the Palace. Her husband also kept her there, but that had been her singular choice. She even remembered the day she was married. It had been so easy to see the love in Zuko's eyes and she knew that he saw the love in hers. If she remembered correctly, spring had been coming to a close, but the blossoms of the fruit trees were still fresh and they made that whole day all the more precious.

A couple of years later, she and Zuko were surprised, yet happy, to find that she was with child. Katara was so excited that she began to put all of her spare energy into furnishing a nursery for her child. She had a time with colors because she did not know what the gender of the future prince or princess of the Fire Nation would be. At first she was going to go with her mother's instincts. That would have resulted in the color theme being blue for a boy. Then, she thought she would ask Zuko. He told her he hoped it would be a girl, but would content just the same. This troubled Katara and she then decided to do a mix of light pink and medium blue. It had turned out well, Katara thought once it had all been finished. She was pleased with herself and was happy she had finished it, because the stress of the last three months of being pregnant was waiting for her at the front door.

Today, the cherry trees were just starting to bloom. Katara had found a quiet spot in the gardens with her book, where she could enjoy the gentle breezes of spring while hoping to possibly catch a glimpse of the first cherry blossom. She was sitting on the grass with her back against one of the trees when the baby started kicking. Katara smiled and placed her hand gently atop her tummy where the little thing growing inside of her had made it clear that it wanted some attention. "Going at it again, are we?" she whispered to her baby. It kicked again. "Daddy's not here to calm you down. Whatever should I do?" the mother-to-be said.

It kicked yet again. This time a little harder. Katara took in a deep breath and rubbed her stomach involuntarily. "Your gonna be a wild one, aren't cha? I told him you were gonna be a boy."

"I think Azula may have something to say on that statement?"

Katara turned her head to see her husband looming over her with a goofy smirk on his face. "I'm just being reasonable," she retorted.

Zuko chuckled and sunk down next to her. "I didn't say it was unreasonable."

Katara rolled her eyes and picked up her book. "You were thinking it though," she replied, opening the book and pretending to read.

"Sure. You can think that. It's still gonna be a girl though," he smiled, setting his hand on her tummy.

"Dream on, lover boy," Katara sighed.

Zuko smiled and then planted a kiss on his wife's swollen stomach. "The trees look good. When are they going to bloom?"

Now that the topic was of interest to her, Katara set down her book and folded her hands in her lap. "I thought you would know by now, that you can't predict the day they may bloom. That's why I come out here the first few days of spring every year to watch."

"So you can pinpoint the week?" Zuko inquired.

Katara smiled and shook her head. "No. Well... sometimes. It's really hard to tell. These trees will often bloom before spring has even officially started."

"Maybe our child will be able to tell."

"Oh? And what exactly makes you believe that?"

"Well, her mother is infatuated with cherry trees and their blossoms. Maybe she will be blessed with such powers as to predict when the trees are going to bloom."

Katara swatted him lightly on the arm. "Wherever do you get your lunatic ideas? To this day Zuko, your mind still mystifies me."

"I can dream," Zuko chuckled, swatting her back.

"Well then, your Majesty, your going to be dreaming for a pretty long time."

A breeze ruffled the air and the couple lifted their heads to see a little white bud half open above them. Katara gasped and an excited smile spread across her face.

"Zuko, do you see it? It's right up there!" she exclaimed, gripping his hand and pointing up at it.

"I see it," Zuko replied to his excited wife as she pulled herself up off the ground.

"I wanna see it a little bit closer," she said, waddling over to it.

Zuko jumped up and walked over to where she was now standing. Katara remained there for a while with Zuko beside her and admired the beauty of the small and simple, yet graceful blossom that would soon produce fruit within the next couple of months.

Together, the two watched and waited as the flower slowly opened and welcomed the sun for the first time. Katara sighed contentedly and leaned her head upon on Zuko's shoulder. "If our baby is a girl, like you think... I have the perfect name for her," Katara whispered.

Zuko put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the top of her head. "And I have the perfect name if it just so happens to be a boy."

Three months later, the couple was gifted with a pair of twins. The first child was a girl and was given the name of Sakura, which was the name her mother chose before she was born. The other child was boy and named Natsuko, the name his father chose before his birth. And now, every spring since Sakura and Natsuko were born, Zuko and Katara would take them out to the gardens in which those same cherry trees are and they would sit and wait together for an appearance of the first cherry blossom. When they spotted one, they would stand and watch it open. Those cherry trees still stand and not a single spring goes by where they do not gather to witness the first Cherry Blossoms of the year.

~End~

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**And there you have it. If you liked this you can check out my other Zutara oneshots on my profile. Please review if you have a moment. I love all reviews and respond to as many as I can and I apply them all to myself (as best I can.) Thanks!**

**Name meanings:**

Sakura = Cherry Blossom

Natsuko = Summer Child

~*Magical Reality*~


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